The Fortieth Chapter of Isaiah.

9 Princes, and kings, that dare withstand
Their uncontroll'd Creator's sway,
Shall sink beneath His mighty hand,
And fall, and fade, and die away.

to Planted awhile, or sown below,

Their stock accurst shall ne'er take root;
The Lord upon their pride shall blow,

Wither the flower, and blast the fruit.

II Say, then, ye abject worms, to whom
Will ye your glorious God compare ?
Who shall His holiness presume

To match, or who His power shall dare?

12 Lift up your eyes to things on high,

Nor fix on earth your groveling thought:
Who built yon azure vaulted sky?

55

Who spoke those beauteous orbs from nought?

13 God only wise, and great, and strong,

Made them to run their heavenly race. (Knowledge and might to God belong, Honour, and majesty, and praise.)

14 Their radiant hosts He marshals right,
Their nature, names, and number knows:
He bids them in their courses fight,
And blast their great Creator's foes.

15 They hear; and each His will performs;
And, lo! to man they ever call,
"Lift up your eyes, ye abject worms;
Adore the glorious Cause of all !"

PART V.

I THE World He made He still sustains.

Why then dost thou, O Israel, say,
"My God forgets His people's pains,
His Jacob is a castaway?"

2 Repent thee of thy peevish haste;
Recall the rash desponding word;
No more complain, "The hour is past,
And I have wearied out my Lord.”

3 Hast thou not heard, hast thou not known
The everlasting God, that laid
The earth's foundations, rules alone,

Nor faints to bear the world He made?

4 JEHOVAH is unchangeable,

His ways, and thoughts, are not as ours; He cheers the languid souls that fail, And quickens all their drooping powers.

5 Gently He lifts the fallen up,

He gives them faith, and faith's increase, Revives their feeble, dying hope,

And fills with love, and joy, and peace.

6 Blasted, the vigour of the young

Shall fade, and suddenly decay;
The bold, and confident, and strong
Shall fear, despair, and die away.

7 But they who wait upon the Lord
Shall surely find His promise true,
Receive the quickening powerful word,
And, born of God, their strength renew.

The Sixty-third Chapter of Isaiah.

8 Their willing souls, from sin set free,
Shall swiftly in His statutes move,
Shall walk in glorious liberty,

Shall fly upon the wings of love.

9 With eagle's wings their souls shall rise,
Steady and strong to heaven soar,
Regain on earth their native skies,
And faint, and fall, and sin no more.

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THE SIXTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH.*

PART II.

I I TOO will magnify the Lord,
And emulate the angels' lays,
His loving-kindnesses record,
In sounds of everlasting praise.

2 For all He hath on us bestow'd
This only tribute can I bring,
Extol the mercies of my God,
His multitude of mercies sing.

3 How good to Israel's chosen race!
Who, who can all His goodness tell?
So rich in unexhausted grace;

His riches are unsearchable.

4 Surely, He said, Mine own they are;
My people will not faithless prove;
My children will not slight My care,
Or disappoint a Father's love.

* The first part, altered from Mr. Norris, will be found in Vol. I., p. 118.

5 Sweetly He strove their hearts to gain,
He woo'd them to embrace His will.
They never ask'd His help in vain,
But found a present Saviour still.

6 Dear as the apple of His eye

In all their griefs He kindly grieved;
The angel of His presence nigh

From all the favourite nation saved.

7 He rescued when to evil sold,

He snatch'd them from impending harms, Carried them all the days of old

Safe in His everlasting arms.

8 He magnified His saving power,

Call'd them His utmost grace to prove ; With infinite compassion bore

The objects of His tenderest love.

9 But O! they soon forsook their God;
The faithless and rebellious race
In devious paths of evil trod,

And grieved the Spirit of His grace.

10 They vex'd; and forced His wrath to rise: His vengeance fell, so long delay'd: Constrain'd the rebels to chastise,

He pour'd His judgments on their head.

II His mercy then He call'd to mind;

He call'd to mind the ancient days

When, only merciful and kind,

He smiled on the peculiar race.

The Sixty-third Chapter of Isaiah. 59

12 Where is He now-their God, their Guide!

(He taught their hearts the powerful plea ;) Where is He now, their hearts replied,

Who brought His people from the sea?

13 Who placed a shepherd o'er the rest,
And gave him wisdom from above,
And breathed into his peaceful breast
The meek, mild spirit of His love.

14 Them by the hand of Moses led,

His power and goodness to proclaim,
Beyond the bounds of time to spread
JEHOVAH'S everlasting name.

15 The Lord of Hosts in all appear'd,
He smote the sea with Moses' rod,
His glorious arm aloft He rear'd:

The parting sea confess'd its God.

16 He brought them through the wondrous way; The deep was dry at His command;

Secure they march'd in firm array,

Nor stumbled, till they reach'd the land.

17 Smooth as the generous-nurtured beast
Into the verdant vale goes down,
To bring them to that promised rest,
His Spirit gently led them on.

18 Thus didst Thou guide Thy chosen race,

That every tongue might speak Thy fame, And earth and heaven conspire to praise

The God of Israel's glorious Name.